Chemical Properties of

Fats/Oils
Hydrolysis

1. Hydrolysis By Alkali

• The hydrolysis of fats and oils in the presence of a base/alkali makes soap and
this reaction is known as saponification.
2. Hydrolysis By Water

• On hydrolysis of Fat/Oil in the presence of water and zinc oxide (as catalyst) at
443K and 6-8 atmospheric pressure give glycerol and fatty acid.
Hydrogenation
• Oils have large amount of unsaturated portion (C=C) in the form of glycerides. When
hydrogen is passed through oils under pressure and in the presence of catalyst (Nickel) at
high temperature oils gets converted into solid fats.

• This process is known as hardening of oils.

Hydrogenolysis
• When fat or oil molecule is treated with excess of hydrogen under pressure in the
presence of copper-chromium (Cu2Cr2O5) catalyst than fat or oil gets splits up into
glycerol and higher aliphatic alcohols.

• This reaction is called cleavage reaction.

Saponification
• Saponification is a process that involve conversion of fat or oil into soap and
glycerol by the action of heat in the presence of aqueous alkali.

• Due to the formation of soap this reaction is called saponification reaction.